Insanity
by CypressWand
Summary: A short story on the moment Frank and Alice Longbottom met, till the day they were torturned into insanity. STORY: COMPLETE


**Insanity**

'Who's that boy over there?' whispered Alice into Mary's ear.

'What boy?' asked Mary, sniffing the air as if she suddenly expected a sweaty, pungent odour to pass by.

'That one over there.' Alice tried to point out a member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team as discreetly as possible.

'Oh, that's Frank Longbottom,' said Mary, her voice casual. 'He joined the Hufflepuff team as the new Chaser.'

'He's rather cute, don't you—'

'—Oh for Merlin's sake, Alice, pull yourself together!' Mary grabbed Alice by both of her shoulders and shook her so roughly that her head bobbed up and down. 'Our match _against_ them is about to start. Get dressed, grab your bat, and go knock him off his broom!'

Alice couldn't help but let out a snort at Mary's outburst. 'I don't know if I can,' she said. 'I don't want to harm that pretty face of his...'

'You're insane, Alice,' said Mary, growling under her breath. 'Please...please...please, you need to focus. We've got a match to win!'

...o0o...

'Are we absolutely certain about this, Frank?' asked Alice. 'If we commit now, you know there will be no turning back.'

'I'm not training to become an Auror only to sit back and do nothing,' said Frank with a hint of determination. 'I'm going to sign up for Dumbledore's Order. I hope you'll do the same.'

Alice nodded her head in silent agreement. 'Frank, there's something that I have to tell you,' she mumbled under her breath.

'You can tell me anything, dear.' Frank grabbed her by the waist to stop her from pacing around. 'What is it?'

Alice looked Frank deep in the eyes; it was an obvious sign that whatever she was about to say was meant to be taken very seriously. 'I'm pregnant,' she spluttered. 'At least...I think I am.'

Frank suddenly stopped breathing, and for a moment he was too flabbergasted to speak. 'I thought Lily was pregnant...' he mumbled.

'She was...or she is, I should say,' said Alice nervously. 'The thing is, I think I might be as well. Aren't you happy?'

'Marry me?' Frank's eyes grew wide with shock the moment he asked the question, as if he had not expected the words to suddenly roll out of his mouth. But then, without hesitation, he dropped down on one knee and held both of her hands in his own. 'Whether you are pregnant or not.'

'You're insane, Frank!' said Alice. Tears began to stream down her face, though the smile she was unable to suppress was evidence that they weren't tears Frank should be worried about. 'But of course I'll marry you.'

...o0o...

Alice was leaning over a large crib, smiling. Not one, but two boys were sleeping soundly together. They had been born only a day apart, and she had the feeling that they would grow up to be more than just friends—as brothers.

'Don't be obnoxious, James!' yelled Lily in the background. 'I really can't see any reason for you to go after him. Are you honestly willing to risk everything you have, just because of some stupid childhood feud?'

'He's a Death Eater and you know it,' cried James. 'He needs to be captured and imprisoned, just like all the others!'

'But Dumbledore—'

'—I don't care what Dumbledore has to say about him! I don't care if he used to be your friend! I don't care—'

'—Calm down, James. You'll wake the children,' said Frank with a pat on his shoulder. 'The pressure of this prophecy is weighing down on us all. Try to have a little faith.'

'Faith?' spluttered James. '_Faith_? In a man who's made his intentions very clear from the start? He's made his choice, and I've made mine. It was me who got to marry Lily. Me! Not _him!_'

'So, is that what all this is about?' exclaimed Lily. 'Are you insane, James? Have you completely lost—'

Frank slipped back into the nursery, shutting the door behind him so only muffled sounds could be heard from the other side. 'It's always the same argument,' he said, the irritation he felt leaking into his voice as he lifted a crabby Harry out of the crib. 'Snape this and Snape that. How about we start talking about going into hiding for a change? What do you think, little Harry? How does going into hiding sound to you?'

Harry babbled something unintelligible back. Frank nodded in understanding and took it as a sign. It was time to disappear.

...o0o...

'Where is she?' shouted Frank. 'I can't see her!'

A cold, girlish laugh came from behind the trees. 'Can't see me, can you, Mister Longbottom?' crooned Bellatrix, mocking him. 'One moment I am far away...and then...I'm here!'

With a thud, Frank fell to his knees and screamed out in agony. Bellatrix cackled as she held her wand against his chest. Frank convulsed as shock after shock echoed through his body. The moment his voice grew fainter, she pulled her wand away from his body and looked him dead in the eye. 'Where's your pretty little wife?' she asked. 'Surely she must be around here somewhere?'

Frank tried to reach out for his wand, but Bellatrix caught sight of it just in time and snatched it away from him. 'And now I have two,' she said darkly as she twirled both wands in between her fingers. 'What if I use _your_ wand on your wife instead? How would that make you feel?'

'Please be careful, Alice!' Frank yelled as he tried to regain his breath. 'She's insane! She's got my wand!'

'Insane? Are you calling me insane?' said Bellatrix with a nauseating air of sweetness. Her nostrils flared and she pointed both wands directly at Frank's chest. 'I'll show you _insane_...'


End file.
